Containers produced using blow-mold processes generally need to conform to various specifications. Particularly, the walls of blow-mold containers generally must maintain a suitable level of stiffness and strength to withstand shipping and handling operations throughout a product lifecycle. Moreover, walls of a container may not be too weak to be deemed of poor quality by consumers. In addition, containers must maintain suitable gas barrier properties to prevent spoilage of beverages contained therein and to prevent carbonated or other gas containing beverages from becoming flat.
Generally, to meet the demands of blow-mold containers, a minimum level of material must be included in preforms used in the blow-mold process. On the other hand, minimizing the amount of material in preforms used to make blow-mold containers would be beneficial because it would provide an economic advantage. There is a need for preforms and methods of making blow-mold containers that minimize amounts of material used in preforms yet maintain acceptable performance of the resulting containers.